KCACTF Region 5 Festival 57 has ended

Create Your Own Event

KCACTF Region 5 Festival 57

Add sessions to your personal schedule to register your attendance (Check-In).

9:30am CST

Acting in Masks

Monday January 20, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST

Marriott Council Bluffs/Davenport (3rd Floor)

The workshop will help students awaken their imagination and liberate themselves from physical and psychological inhibitions.
Playing with Character Masks grants students the freedom to explore different personas and express their inner thoughts and emotions, and guides students toward making bold physical and vocal choices on stage.
The workshop includes:
Physical and vocal warm-up.
Learning basic principles of working with masks.
Improvisations.

Presenters

Vladimir Rovinsky

Minnesota State U Mankato

Vladimir Rovinsky received an MFA in directing from the St. Petersburg Academy of Theatre Arts, Russia. Before coming to America in 2000 he was working as a professional theatre director in Russia. He has been teaching acting since 1996 and has worked as a director, actor, and teacher... Read More →

Monday January 20, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST
Marriott Council Bluffs/Davenport (3rd Floor)

Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development, Stage Movement and Combat

9:30am CST

The Disco Citizens Present: WRITE NOW!

Monday January 20, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST

Marriott Dubuque (3rd Floor)

Wanna act, direct, and/or write plays? Don't wait to be cast in someone else's project, get your friends together and do it yourself! This workshop kicks you into high gear towards creating your own fast paced, short form, home-grown show. Together we’ll select a theme, do some flash writing exercises, and get you started on your path to production. No need to wait for someone else to give you permission, you have all the tools you need!

Presenters

Laura Gold

NPP Co-Vice Chair, Peru State College

Laura Gold (she/her) is the Associate Professor of Theatre at Peru State College. Recent Peru Theatre Company directing credits include Orphans, Love Song, Proof, and Everybody. She is especially proud of PTC's annual production The Disco Citizens—30 plays in 60 minutes, or your... Read More →

Monday January 20, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST
Marriott Dubuque (3rd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Playwriting, Acting and Directing, Faculty Development

11:00am CST

Faculty Track: Promotion & Tenure

Monday January 20, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST

Marriott Cedar Rapids (3rd Floor)

Faculty Professional Development Track: Discuss best practices for preparing and representing yourself for promotion and tenure, especially for outside stakeholders.

Festival Leadership

Emily Cherry Oliver

Region 5 Co-Chair, University of North Dakota

Emily Cherry Oliver is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of North Dakota, as well as the Co-Director of the UND AI and Human Innovation Initiative. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and an MFA in Directing, seamlessly integrating both disciplines... Read More →

Jim Wood

KCACTF National Committee Member at Large, South Dakota State University

Jim Wood currently serves on the KCACTF National Executive Committee as Member-at-Large. He also serves Region 5 as the Registrar and is a former Regional Chair. Jim is a Professor and the Artistic Director of Theatre & Dance at South Dakota State University. An actor, director, designer... Read More →

Monday January 20, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST
Marriott Cedar Rapids (3rd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Faculty, Faculty Professional Development

Audience Faculty Only
Area Faculty Development

11:00am CST

The Introduction to Meyerhold's Biomechanics

Monday January 20, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST

Marriott Council Bluffs/Davenport (3rd Floor)

A practical workshop in the physical actor training method created by legendary Russian director Vsevolod Meyerhold. The technique was created as an alternative to Stanislavsky’s system and utilized grotesque and decidedly non-realistic artistic approaches. Biomechanics is a wonderful tool for practical understanding of theatricality in the moving body, use of the body for storytelling, and expansion of physical expressiveness and thus is useful to an actor preparing for work in any theatrical language.

Presenters

Vladimir Rovinsky

Minnesota State U Mankato

Vladimir Rovinsky received an MFA in directing from the St. Petersburg Academy of Theatre Arts, Russia. Before coming to America in 2000 he was working as a professional theatre director in Russia. He has been teaching acting since 1996 and has worked as a director, actor, and teacher... Read More →

Monday January 20, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST
Marriott Council Bluffs/Davenport (3rd Floor)

Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development, Stage Movement and Combat

3:30pm CST

Launch. Relaunch. Quarantine. Zoom. Re-Re-Launch. Hiatus. Fly. Starting a theatre in the time of the plague

Monday January 20, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm CST

Marriott Sioux City (3rd Floor)

TheatreMidwest, a professional non-profit theatre, was founded in 2018. After a brief anecdotal run-down of how the process has brought us to 2025, please bring your questions for some discussion. We can talk about starting a theatre 'in general' or focus on specific strategies gleaned through the last 5ish seasons...benefits, pitfalls, all the stuff you are eager to talk about.

Presenters

Tom Woldt

TheatreMidwest

TOM WOLDT is Founding Artistic Director of TheatreMidwest (2018.) As a Theatre Educator, he was Professor and Chair at Doane College, Simpson College, and University of South Dakota, and had other part-time/guest-artist activities. For KCACTF, Tom is a former Region 5 Chair, National... Read More →

Monday January 20, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm CST
Marriott Sioux City (3rd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Faculty Development, Talking about Theatre, Representation Equity and Diversity

9:30am CST

Driving the Action: Active Analysis for Creative Artists

Tuesday January 21, 2025 9:30am - 12:00pm CST

Marriott Council Bluffs/Davenport (3rd Floor)

Stanislavsky’s latter practice known today as Active Analysis is a powerful tool for quickly integrating the givens of a script into an actor’s body. Learning the tool can be anxiety-inducing for beginning actors as they don’t have the script in hand as a crutch. This workshop introduces the concepts of action & counteraction as the driving force of a scene. Then we'll explore the scaffolding techniques I’ve developed to prop the students up while they explore the freedoms that Active Analysis offers, curtailing anxiety and streamlining the embodiment of the role.

Presenters

Joelle Arp Dunham

Kansas State University

Joelle Ré Arp-Dunham, PhD, MFA, (she/her) is an educator, director, actor, consent and staged intimacy consultant and choreographer, currently teaching at Kansas State University. She served as the Producing Artistic Director of the Circle Ensemble Theatre Company in Athens, Georgia... Read More →

Tuesday January 21, 2025 9:30am - 12:00pm CST
Marriott Council Bluffs/Davenport (3rd Floor)

Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development, Playwriting, Representation Equity and Diversity

11:00am CST

Don't Make Me Turn this Bus Around: Touring with Students Nationally and Internationally

Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST

Marriott Cedar Rapids (3rd Floor)

Setting up a tour for your undergrads, whether for local performances and recruiting or a short-term study abroad experience, can be a daunting task. Learn the basics about timelines, cold calling, booking venues, utilizing tour operators, travel insurance, payment plans for study abroad, emotional wellness on tour, and lots of other tips and hints.

Presenters

Patrick Newell

Western Nebraska CC

Dr. Patrick Newell is a vocal instructor, music director, stage director, choral conductor, and performer. A teacher of Opera, Musical Theatre, and Art Song, his students perform with Disney, Off-Broadway, National Tours, military bands, cruise lines, regional theatres, and amusement... Read More →

Tuesday January 21, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST
Marriott Cedar Rapids (3rd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Audience Faculty Only
Area Faculty Development

10:00am CST

Building Ensemble through Devising

Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:00am - 12:30pm CST

Renaissance Savery Truman

Experience how an ensemble can be quickly developed through physical devising. This workshop includes methods from Frantic Assembly Devising and Ali Hodge with influences from Viewpoints and Chekhov. Intimacy practices will be observed throughout.

Presenters

Violette Briggs

Western Nebraska CC

Violette Briggs is the theatre director at WNCC in Nebraska. She is an actor (and in 2004 was the acting artistic director) with Theatre West. She has worked throughout the United States and Great Britain as an actor, director, and acting coach. Violette is an Intimacy Choreographer... Read More →

Wednesday January 22, 2025 10:00am - 12:30pm CST
Renaissance Savery Truman 401 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development, Stage Movement and Combat

2:00pm CST

Staging Resistance: Historical & Contemporary Queer Theatre in the United States

Wednesday January 22, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm CST

Renaissance Savery Roosevelt

Are you familiar with queer theatrical traditions in the United States? Have you questioned what you know about the theatrical canon and tradition? Are you aware of the various queer shows making waves through performances? Well, if any of these questions have struck you, this is a session you’ll want to attend. In this interactive and discussion-based workshop, we will discuss the historical traditions of queer performances in the United States and what shows are happening contemporarily.

Presenters

Cody Allyn Page

Assistant Professor of Theatre, Cottey College

Dr. cody allyn page earned his Bachelor of Humanities in Communications from Penn State, his Master of Arts in Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities from NYU Steinhardt, and his Ph.D. in Theatre with a Graduate Certificate in Performance Studies from BGSU.Their research... Read More →

Wednesday January 22, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm CST
Renaissance Savery Roosevelt 401 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Faculty Development, Talking about Theatre, Representation Equity and Diversity

11:00am CST

Thinktank: Theatre Equipment Uprgades

Thursday January 23, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST

Renaissance Savery Roosevelt

This intensive thinktank workshop addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing technical theatre programs today: managing and modernizing technical resources within realistic budget constraints. The session brings together technical directors, production managers, and theatre administrators to develop practical strategies for equipment management, upgrades, and financial planning.

Presenters

Tetta Askeland

Southwest Minnesota State U

Tetta M. Askeland is a scenic designer and educator currently based in Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern College and received her MFA in Scenic Design and Technology from Kent State University. In addition to freelance work, Askeland teaches theatrical... Read More →

Nadine Schmidt

Professor of Theatre, Theatre Program Coordinator, Producer, Southwest Minnesota State U

Nadine Purvis Schmidt is Professor of Theatre, Producer, and Program Coordinator at Southwest Minnesota State University. Acting credits include The Tempest (Prospero), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania), Macbeth (First Witch, Malcolm) and Hamlet (Gertrude), with Bare Bodkins... Read More →

Sheila Tabaka

Southwest Minnesota State U

Sheila Tabaka is a theatrical director and costume designer, teaching at Southwest Minnesota State University. She attended the kilt making apprenticeship at the Kiltmakery in Edinburgh, Scotland and is now the owner of Caledonia Kilts. Tabaka is a past chair of KCACTF Region 5 Design... Read More →

Thursday January 23, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST
Renaissance Savery Roosevelt 401 Locust St, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Audience Faculty Only
Area Design Technology & Management, Faculty Development, Representation Equity and Diversity, Talking about Theatre

12:30pm CST

Emotional Intimacy

Thursday January 23, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CST

Marriott Salon C (2nd Floor)

Gain agency while working with your emotions with the emotional effector patterns. The Emotional Body Method uses somatic education methods to help you understand how to physically “tune into” your body using all your senses (sight, smell, taste, sound, touch, and movement). Emotional Body follows consent-based and trauma-informed teaching practices, constantly placing the emphasis on the learner's personal agency with the use of invitational language, respect for the learner's privacy and pace, and acknowledgment of individual tolerance levels. In this workshop, you will learn how to engage with and regulate 2 emotional states, and get a glimpse at how to integrate the work with text.

Presenters

Violette Briggs

Western Nebraska CC

Violette Briggs is the theatre director at WNCC in Nebraska. She is an actor (and in 2004 was the acting artistic director) with Theatre West. She has worked throughout the United States and Great Britain as an actor, director, and acting coach. Violette is an Intimacy Choreographer... Read More →

Emotional Intimacy pptx

Gaze Handout pdf

Thursday January 23, 2025 12:30pm - 3:00pm CST
Marriott Salon C (2nd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development, Stage Movement and Combat, Musical Theatre and/or Voice

3:30pm CST

Directors & Teachers: Collaborating with Intimacy Choreographers

Thursday January 23, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm CST

Marriott Salon B (2nd Floor)

Have you been hearing talk about intimacy choreography and been wondering, what does that mean? Have you wondered what constitutes intimacy in the theatrical world? Is it just for nudity and very “spicy” scenes, like Spring Awakening? Have you thought about how you would work with someone on this content as a director? Or if theatres should even bother with the practice? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is the workshop for you!

Presenters

Cody Allyn Page

Assistant Professor of Theatre, Cottey College

Dr. cody allyn page earned his Bachelor of Humanities in Communications from Penn State, his Master of Arts in Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities from NYU Steinhardt, and his Ph.D. in Theatre with a Graduate Certificate in Performance Studies from BGSU.Their research... Read More →

Thursday January 23, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm CST
Marriott Salon B (2nd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development, Stage Movement and Combat, Talking about Theatre

9:30am CST

Building Spaces of Acceptable Risk: Mental Health Coordination in Theatre

Friday January 24, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST

Marriott Salon A (2nd Floor)

This workshop will introduce students and faculty to the burgoning field of mental health coordination in theatre and film. Attendees will learn how to cultivate rehearsal and performance practices that establish and respect individual boundaries and allow actors to do challenging work without causing mental or emotional harm to themselves. Other topics will include ways to self advocate, character de-rolling, and exercises for regulating the body in the rehearsal space.

Presenters

Carrie Pozdol

Intimacy Director

Carrie Pozdol is an actor, director, intimacy choreographer, and mental health coordinator based in eastern Iowa. Carrie has her BA in theatre from Simpson College and has extensive training in intimacy choreography and coordination with Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE) and Intimacy... Read More →

Friday January 24, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST
Marriott Salon A (2nd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Faculty Development, Acting and Directing, Representation Equity and Diversity, Talking about Theatre

9:30am CST

The Ever-Shifting Landscape of Actor Training - The National Alliance of Acting Teachers

Friday January 24, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST

Marriott Sioux City (3rd Floor)

Join the National Alliance of Acting Teachers in a discussion about the challenges and strategies for training actors in today’s world. Learn about our programming and resources designed to support, inspire and connect you with a community of acting teachers across the country.

Presenters

Carla Noack

Natl Assoc of Acting Teachers

Carla Noack is an Associate Professor in the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory, where she teaches the MFA acting progression as well as select undergraduate acting and storytelling classes. Most recently, she played Sarah Bernhardt in Bernhardt/Hamlet, Paige Connor in... Read More →

1 sheet member info email 2025 pdf

Friday January 24, 2025 9:30am - 10:45am CST
Marriott Sioux City (3rd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Audience Faculty Only
Area Acting and Directing, Faculty Development

11:00am CST

Building Spaces of Acceptable Risk: Mental Health Coordination in Theatre

Friday January 24, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST

Marriott Salon A (2nd Floor)

This workshop will introduce students and faculty to the burgoning field of mental health coordination in theatre and film. Attendees will learn how to cultivate rehearsal and performance practices that establish and respect individual boundaries and allow actors to do challenging work without causing mental or emotional harm to themselves. Other topics will include ways to self advocate, character de-rolling, and exercises for regulating the body in the rehearsal space.

Presenters

Carrie Pozdol

Intimacy Director

Carrie Pozdol is an actor, director, intimacy choreographer, and mental health coordinator based in eastern Iowa. Carrie has her BA in theatre from Simpson College and has extensive training in intimacy choreography and coordination with Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE) and Intimacy... Read More →

Friday January 24, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST
Marriott Salon A (2nd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Audience Faculty Only
Area Faculty Development, Acting and Directing, Representation Equity and Diversity, Talking about Theatre

11:00am CST

Non-Production Careers for the Theatre Major

Friday January 24, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST

Marriott Salon G (2nd Floor)

While university education often centers around how to do various jobs in producing theatre, this class will take a look through some of the industry that supports production. For every actor on stage there are 10 people supporting them on the production. For all of those, there are hundreds in different industries supporting them. Lets take a look at what is out there.

Presenters

Matt Carroll

Electronic Theatre Controls

An alum of Emporia State University here in region 5, Matt has taken many different paths in his professional career; both in and out of production. He has worked as a Master Electrician, Freelance Designer, Sales Consultant for a Dealership, Tech Support and now management for ETC... Read More →

Friday January 24, 2025 11:00am - 12:15pm CST
Marriott Salon G (2nd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Design Technology & Management, Faculty Development, Talking about Theatre

12:30pm CST

AI in Theatre Panel

Friday January 24, 2025 12:30pm - 1:45pm CST

Marriott Salon G (2nd Floor)

Join us for a groundbreaking panel discussion that examines the intersection of artificial intelligence and theatre. This comprehensive workshop brings together theatre practitioners, technologists, accessibility advocates, and audiences to explore how AI is reshaping the landscape of theatrical creation and experience.

Presenters

Tetta Askeland

Southwest Minnesota State U

Tetta M. Askeland is a scenic designer and educator currently based in Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern College and received her MFA in Scenic Design and Technology from Kent State University. In addition to freelance work, Askeland teaches theatrical... Read More →

Jacee Casarella

Co-Volunteer Coordinator, Augustana University

Jacee Casarella is an Assistant Teaching Professor, Resident Designer, and Technical Director at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. She is also the Co-Volunteer Coordinator for Region 5, VP of Social Media & Publications for USITT Northern Boundary, and Production Manager for... Read More →

Colin Hogan

Des Moines Area CC

Carl Lindberg

College Fair Coordinator, Des Moines Area CC

Carl Lindberg (he/him) is an actor, director, and Professor and Chair of the Theatre & Acting Programs at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). He has also served DMACC as a District Chair and a Director of Guided Pathways. He has worked at regional theatres (Steppenwolf (upcoming... Read More →

Festival Leadership

Emily Cherry Oliver

Region 5 Co-Chair, University of North Dakota

Emily Cherry Oliver is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of North Dakota, as well as the Co-Director of the UND AI and Human Innovation Initiative. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and an MFA in Directing, seamlessly integrating both disciplines... Read More →

Friday January 24, 2025 12:30pm - 1:45pm CST
Marriott Salon G (2nd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Acting and Directing, Design Technology & Management, Faculty Development, Playwriting, Representation Equity and Diversity, Talking about Theatre

2:00pm CST

Working in the Industry- Ask Me Anything

Friday January 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm CST

Marriott Waterloo (3rd Floor)

There is a difference between knowing how to do a job and know how to get hired to do it! Lets sit down and talk about working professionally. I'll share insight from my time as a Master Electrician in regional theatre, Freelance Designer, Sales Associate with a Dealership and with ETC, a major manufacturer of lighting equipment.

Presenters

Matt Carroll

Electronic Theatre Controls

An alum of Emporia State University here in region 5, Matt has taken many different paths in his professional career; both in and out of production. He has worked as a Master Electrician, Freelance Designer, Sales Consultant for a Dealership, Tech Support and now management for ETC... Read More →

Friday January 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm CST
Marriott Waterloo (3rd Floor) 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

Area Design Technology & Management, Faculty Development, Talking about Theatre